SOME MAST CHAT & GENERAL EBAY INFO.
What has worked out for both me, and my buyers alike, is my background in fishing. I guess I have been around masts most of my life working my boats.While I am no engineer, the years of hands on experience has been invaluable.
I have also used many of the very mast sections I sell on ebay on my Commercial Boats,for many different applications. Probably longer then Ebay has been around.When your not on the water fishing , you are in the shipyards making repairs on your boats. A good part of these repairs require a working knowledge of fiberglass. Fiberglass and resins can be very tricky materials, with more different types of glass then I can list here. As fate would have it, all the years working with glass, And Masts, has come in very handy for this new venture at this late stage in the game. Fiberglass, especially when used as a mast, must always be worked with cautiously and with care.
With not knowing how the on/off button worked on a computer the Mast business began with local sales.For any new sellers with limited computer skills,trust me,,if I could learn it, anyone can.
ONE UNRELATED MAST NOTE BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION SOMETHING BUSINESS RELATED. WITH THE ECONOMY BEING WHAT IT IS IN TODAY'S WORLD (2009). WATCHING MANY MANY PEOPLE LOOSe THERE JOBS, GETTING LAID OFF. IF YOU HAPPEN TO END UP IN EBAY FOR WHATEVER REASON, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A BIT OF NOVICE BUSINESS ADVISE.
I WAS INCREDIBLY LUCKY TO HIT ON A PRODUCT THAT WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL. I LAID $40 GRAND OUT OF MY OWN POCKET FOR SAFETY TESTS, INVENTORY AND MANY OTHER THINGS TO RUN A "MAST" BUSINESS OF THE TYPE I STARTED, ** SAFETY***.Safety being the Key word here. I KNEW I HAD TO PULL THIS BUSINESS OUT OF EBAY IMMEDIATELY UPON SEEING ITS IMMEDIATE SUCCESS. I SIMPLY HAD NO ONE TO TURN TO FOR ASSISTANCE.
AGAIN, LIMITED P.C. SKILLS, AND WARNINGS CAUTION OF GIVING OUT BANKING INFO LIMITED MY ABILITY TO GOING TO A WEBSITE ( DOT COM) MERCHANT ACCOUNT LIMITED.WHILE I DID IDENTIFY THIS, (FOR A PAT ON MY BACK), WITHOUT GOING ANY FURTHER REGARDING THIS * CRITICAL problem I could find no help with, I WILL SAY THIS.
If you find yourself out of work, and in ebay, happen upon a successful * UNIQUE * product,,,*** GET A WEBSITE***. I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT OVER THE YEARS, THIS FORMAT, HAS BEEN THE DOWNFALL OF 10's OF THOUSANDS OF LEGITIMATE ,TAXPAYING BUSINESSES. There are quite simply people in this format, that look for hot selling items, and join in. "Just one example."
Competition is wonderful, and what made this a great country. But in the case of many small individual businesses,(MY Masts in particular) These novice sellers have caused a critical safety issue to unsuspecting buyers. EBAY WILL DO NOTHING, TO PUT A STOP TO A SAFETY ISSUE OF THIS NATURE. Revenue is ebay sole motive. Yes,, It cost me a 6 digit Business, and the shirt off my back. BUT, MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY REGARDING THIS TYPE MAST, THIS FORMAT HAS ALLOWED GARBAGE AND VERY DANGEROUS MILITARY SURPLUS AN AVENUE TO BE OFFED. As for Hams and Surplus buyers thinking you can make a buck selling masts? I've now watched 40 come and go. Selling garbage, and finding out the hard way, that there is TONS of non recyclable items you will be stuck with. I am only still at it, as my commercial fishing days I guess enable me to log 18 hour days. Making little to nothing, But Puting out a CONSISTANT, SAFE MAST SERIES, THE LIKES OF WHICH HAVE SEEN NO EQUAL.
Very proud to say,I am the Largest buyer and seller, of the best quality,and largest variety of mast sections on Ebay, and internet.I purchase from all over the country. The only way possible to provide a large choice of different type masts for folks to choose from. If I waited for sales to happen in my backyard , you wouldn't have any selection,and I wouldn't have a business.This is VERY expensive,but is the cost of providing good, proper products. There is NO!!! seller of 4 foot Mast sections for this end use, that purchases far from there home. Of sellers on Ebay, or the Internet.
Inspection of all sections prior purchasing on my end is most times, not possible.Inspection of EVERY SINGLE mast section I ship, is a must.I have purchased entire tractor trailor loads that had to go straight to the landfill. I use a very strict grading policy, and sell only top quality surplus.I also try to stay away from "sealed boxed, NEW" surplus. As there is usually a reason why it has become surplus. In addition to my regular inventory.EX: I have about 15,000 Brand New Mast sections , Useless for the Ham application, due to being too lightweight, and missing the proper ferrule at the female coupling joint.THEY WILL COLLAPSE IF USED FOR A PORTABLE MAST. You may stumble on these being sold on the internet, & ebay. It is an extreamly lightweight FG section,(1.79" O.D. with no ferrule. If you do decide to use this type of section, I suggest wearing a helmet.)
DIFFERENT MAST SECTIONS: To date, I have Identified 8 different fiberglass 4' sections. ALL of these 4 foot sections were originally intended for a different purpose.h4>MANY ARE NOT SUITED FOR A TALL MAST APPLICATION. YET ARE SOLD ALL OVER EBAY AND THE INTERNET. Either lack of knowledge, or just to unload out of desperation. Know your buyer. Most feedbacks are left upon receipt of an Item. I get the emails, after the failed deployments from bad materials coming from other sellers, and collapsed masts. If nothing else, I have been able to force some sellers to become at least partially honest, or knowledgeable, or leave. This is not about a sales pitch. This is about an Item, in which SAFETY, MUST be on the forefront. 4' Fiberglass sections range anywhere from 1.79" O.D. up to a very rare "grass green" 1.83" O.D. All with different type ferrules. When I list any FG sections, Ferrule issues are explained in all ads. IF PURCHASING FIBERGLASS SECTIONS ELSEWHERE, BE SURE THEY HAVE THE PROPER FERRULE AT THE FEMALE COUPLING AREA.
I add a protective coating to EVERY Fiberglass section I ship.This coating will aid in protection from UV rays. Gives additional protection from scuffing and chipping, associated from break down set up. And beads of water and other harsh elements, to add a much longer life span to your poles. FIBERGLASS REQUIRES MAINTENANCE. My coating slows the breakdown of Mother Nature. Weather NEW or Lightly Used. I found this coating invalubale through trial and error when fishing commercially. For one, it enables me to detect stress fractures in "NEW"sections, that would otherwise go undetected. A lightly used, coated section, is far more valuable then a NEW section missing my coating. It is one heck of a messy, time consuming, and expensive job to coat these sections. I offer this coating, at little to no additional charge. Since starting this business over 7 years ago, I have never shipped out a Fiberglass Mast Section, without coating 1st. I guess it was 2nd nature due to the knowledge of its value from my work on the water.
Many masts I sell on eBay are made of fiberglass.I try to list all specs, and grades, in each ad.I also carry a couple different types of aluminum mast sections,and also, More Commercial grade Military Antenna masts. I have put together many different type, and height,lightweight portables for the Ham Radio enthusiast.(One of the more expensive Items for Hams to get hold of until now.) The response has been overwhelming,and the emails fantastic to this new lightweight portable.
VERY HONORED TO NOW HAVE OVER 4,000 PORTABLES/SEMI PERMANENTS OUT THERE.
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I,VE DONE A LOAD OF FIELD TESTS, WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPE MAST SECTIONS THROUGH THE YEARS. Sections that I KNOW will collapse, are sold all over the internet by a number of sellers AS OF THIS REVISION 2009.
UNSAFE Items are ALWAYS being sold. For every 2 seller that go away , 4 more will pop up. Garbage/Unsafe masts being sold on Internet Websites.
MY POINT? Be very careful of who you buy from. Try to make your mast purchase, a one time, hassle free experience. A quality product, is worth the couple extra bucks. (Especially what I price my masts at now.
URGENT POST FOR BUYERS OF PORTABLE MASTS:(01/07/07) If you have followed my sales through the years, you are aware of the safety alerts I issue is ads. Regarding Unsafe Fiberglass sections. My safety warnings have remained virtually unchanged, from the date of 1st listings, when alerted to unsafe FG sections being sold/offed. Primarily discussing poles with the defective ferrules, no ferrules, and a very lightweight FG poles that were becoming available in the "Ham" Category by many sellers. The reason for this mass influx of FG sections, many list as new? I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY A VERY LARGE SUPPLIER OF 4' SECTIONS TO THE MILITARY. SOMEONE HAD BEEN IMPALED BY A FIBERGLASS SECTION. FATALLY !!!! My saftey Posts were right on target all these years. THE SURPLUS SITE SURE ISNT GOING TO EXPLAIN THE REASON FOR THIS INCREDIBLE VOLUME THEY ARE UNLOADING ON THE PUBLIC. And as stated earlier, Ebay is sure not going to put a stop to this problem. So The best I can tell you. If you have these poles, and intend on continued use. I recommend proceeding with EXTEAME CAUTION. When dealing with any overhead load, there is some risk involved. These sections are a great product, if you have the correct sections. You guys know the deal. But when dealing with the problem poles I have been identifying all these years, its virtually guaranteed, There going to split. USE PROPER FERRULES,AND PROPER SECTIONS !!!
The fatality was not in the private sector. Lets hope my Saftey Posts all these years, have alerted enough folks, and avoided this from happening in the civilian sector. (Though my ads have now become a clogged mess.)
I pride myself on my honesty and work ethic, and it shows in the "UNSOLICITED" feedbacks. I Believe it has been that work ethic, unsurpassed Product quality, and service, that has enabled me to stay in business for over 4 years.
Commercial Fishing was a very territorial business. But we also had respect for each other out there. The guy you were slugging it out with over territory the day before, is the 1st one to come to your aid, when in trouble. The Deception,lack of Ethics and Integrity I have witnessed on the internet and ebay has me disgusted.
I issue posts from time to time in my ads when I get emails from folks that have been taken. It seems to be the only way to address these issues.
I SINGLE OUT NO INDIVIDUAL SELLER. AGAIN!!! My Posts are issued for safety reasons. THIS IS A PRODUCT, IN WHICH SAFETY ISSUES MUST BE KEPT ON THE FOREFRONT.
This is not about sales,it is about safety. (SEE ABOVE UPDATE 01/07/07)Lastly. I must slow down my mast listings from time to time, due to some personal reasons. Issued some posts regarding my leave of absences, as I have a pet peev about timely shipments. I do not want folks waiting on me indefinitely, to start listing again.
(01/07/07) It seems the above slow down is an on off thing that is out of my hands. It seems all in all, my health has made a very substantial comeback. I'd like to send out a thanks for your emails of support during the times I seem to go down. One in particular that struck me.
Partial excerpt from email:
Hey Jerry ! !
I am sorry your ailing some. Get that fixed , the country depends on you !
I know you would be proud of your mast kits in Gulfport Mississippi. Lots of other
people were too. (Well? Mabe he overstated it, though I did ship quite a load at cost during Katrina (for one), to you fellas.)
ITS YOU HAMS THAT HELP OUT THIS COUNTRY. I would also like to take this time, to send out a thanks to you fellas. When volunteering your services with Emergency Comms is needed, you folks rally to the cause. During many different disasters,natural and otherwise that this country has gone through. MY HATS OFF TO YOU.
Best regards ,Jerry
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